What is an "otaku?"
What does this word actually mean? Does it have multiple uses?
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$5 Answers
I grew up with a best friend who was himself an Otaku. He was absolutely obsessed with anime. He'd watch it, draw it, talk about it incessantly. Not that I minded too much, most of the time, since I like some anime too, but it did kinda wear on the nerves after a while. I learned the meaning of the word Otaku from him, and have even used it on him many times. :p
Childhood friends and their obsession with anime and Japanese language.
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
Here are some notes on the etymology . . .
"Literally and originally, it means "your house"*, and more generally it is also a very polite (distancing and non-imposing as opposed to familiar) way of saying "you". Perhaps the closest English equivalent would be my calling you "Ma'am". In Otaku no Video, Animeigo uses "thou" instead of "you" to translate "otaku", indicating the term's archaic formality. In everyday mainstream Japanese conversation, calling a person you know "otaku" would be viewed as strange or possibly sarcastic. It would be like me calling my friends "Ma'am" or "Sir"."
I strongly recomend checking out this page as it goes into great detail about the meaning and word origin & very interesingly a murderer being labeled Otaku and that leading to a highly negative connotation for several years.
http://www.cjas.org/~leng/otaku-p.htm
http://news.scotsman.com/latestnews/Japans-comicbook-nerds-are-proud.2681557.jp
http://www.brunel.ac.uk/4042/entertext4.1/lamarre1.pdf
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Otaku plankskate says:
original picture:
"Used as an expression in Anime."-www.animeforlibraries.com/glossary.htm
It can have a few uses. In Japan it can also mean nerd or geek.-www.mangaka.co.uk/
Google.com
wikipedia.org
animeforlibaries.com
mangaka.co.uk
Flickr.com
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
You can leave an optional "tip" with Mahalo's virtual currency, Mahalo Dollars. If you are asking a difficult question that might require some research, or if you'd like a wide variety of feedback, a higher tip often leads to more answers to your question.
M$
Rather specifically one that is so dependent on technology that they happily if not willingly give up any effort to fit the social norm. Simply saying an Otaku is a japanese parallel of Geek isn't good enough. In the West geek is increasingly chic, while in Japan, Otaku remain a nation of pretty shameful people. They don't care to be better people, they just want to enjoy technology in what to some is shocking excess.
Thanks! I hope I was able to clarify the subject for you.
@ryanosborne, your comments are correct, though not all Otaku are looked down upon. A few years ago there was a popular TV series in Japan where a beautiful and popular woman falls in love with an Otaku (Densha Otaku). Otakus gained quite a bit of popularity (at least short term). Many Otaku prefer to avoid regular society (dating, going out with friends, etc.) and prefer to stay at home in front of a computer or manga. But there are also quite a few "social" Otaku in Japan that have actual social lives, but still have an "obsession" with technology, manga or both. I myself fall in the latter category according to my wife! (minus the love for Manga)
Indeed, an obsession.
I think I might possibly be an Otaku. I spend all my week indoors at my computer, editing audio. Luckily I work at a bar on the weekends, so I'm forced to spend at least a few hours a week outside the apartment. :p